Omnicom Media has formalised its India leadership following the integration of Omnicom Media Group with IPG’s Mediabrands. The combined entity has appointed Kartik Sharma as CEO, Amardeep Singh as COO, and Shashi Sinha as Strategic Advisor, signaling the start of a new operating structure for one of the most competitive media markets in APAC.
The three leaders will guide the organisation as it develops new ways of working and aligns its operations across India and the wider region. In an internal note to employees, Omnicom Media APAC CEO Tony Harradine described the integration as a transformative moment that strengthens the group’s regional footprint. He said Omnicom Media now holds a commanding position across APAC, supported by strong new business momentum.
Year to date, Omnicom Media has delivered $785 million in net new business, winning brands such as Under Armour, Bayer, Marico, H&M, Bunnings Warehouse, and KFC.
“With our combined APAC strength, we are now positioned to deliver greater value and impact for clients, and greater opportunity for our people. Together, we can unlock the power of the industry’s strongest media ecosystem to simplify complexity and convert ambition into action,” Harradine said.
He added that the merger brings together two organizations with shared cultures grounded in client partnership, operational excellence, and talent development. India’s importance in the regional structure has been reinforced through the appointment of Sadhan Mishra as President, Operations for APAC.
The broader APAC leadership team now includes Chan Ching Yi as Chief Financial Officer, Paul Shepherd as Chief Commercial Trading Officer, Charlotte Lee as President of OMD, Eileen Ooi as President of PHD, and Rochelle Chhaya as President of UM. A new President for Initiative will be announced soon.
Harradine acknowledged that integrating two large networks requires difficult decisions, but said the organisation is committed to clear communication and structured guidance as teams navigate the transition. Omnicom Media will outline its global roadmap at a town hall later this week, with APAC offices joining at locally aligned times. Harradine also plans to visit key markets, including India, in the coming months.
The Competition Commission of India’s approval order dated June 3 for the Omnicom–IPG merger offers a clearer sense of how the media agency hierarchy in India is likely to evolve. The regulator’s assessment confirms that WPP continues to hold a dominant position with more than half of all media buying, setting a scale benchmark that the rest of the market does not come close to matching. Publicis remains the second-largest player with an estimated 10% to 15% share.
The combined Omnicom–IPG organization has moved into a firmer third position in the same 10% to 15% band, giving it a more competitive footing against Publicis than before. The CCI notes that the two networks were not strong head-to-head rivals earlier and still remain significantly smaller than WPP, but the integration strengthens Omnicom’s ability to operate closer to the second tier.
Madison and Dentsu continue to sit in the mid-tier with 5% to 10% shares, while Havas remains below 5%.
Overall, the regulator concludes that the merger enhances Omnicom’s competitiveness without reshaping the structure of the market, which remains anchored by one dominant leader and a relatively narrow set of scaled networks. The key shift is that Omnicom is now better placed to compete with Publicis for larger mandates, even as the broader hierarchy stays largely unchanged.
The three leaders will guide the organisation as it develops new ways of working and aligns its operations across India and the wider region. In an internal note to employees, Omnicom Media APAC CEO Tony Harradine described the integration as a transformative moment that strengthens the group’s regional footprint. He said Omnicom Media now holds a commanding position across APAC, supported by strong new business momentum.
Year to date, Omnicom Media has delivered $785 million in net new business, winning brands such as Under Armour, Bayer, Marico, H&M, Bunnings Warehouse, and KFC.
“With our combined APAC strength, we are now positioned to deliver greater value and impact for clients, and greater opportunity for our people. Together, we can unlock the power of the industry’s strongest media ecosystem to simplify complexity and convert ambition into action,” Harradine said.
He added that the merger brings together two organizations with shared cultures grounded in client partnership, operational excellence, and talent development. India’s importance in the regional structure has been reinforced through the appointment of Sadhan Mishra as President, Operations for APAC.
The broader APAC leadership team now includes Chan Ching Yi as Chief Financial Officer, Paul Shepherd as Chief Commercial Trading Officer, Charlotte Lee as President of OMD, Eileen Ooi as President of PHD, and Rochelle Chhaya as President of UM. A new President for Initiative will be announced soon.
Harradine acknowledged that integrating two large networks requires difficult decisions, but said the organisation is committed to clear communication and structured guidance as teams navigate the transition. Omnicom Media will outline its global roadmap at a town hall later this week, with APAC offices joining at locally aligned times. Harradine also plans to visit key markets, including India, in the coming months.
The Competition Commission of India’s approval order dated June 3 for the Omnicom–IPG merger offers a clearer sense of how the media agency hierarchy in India is likely to evolve. The regulator’s assessment confirms that WPP continues to hold a dominant position with more than half of all media buying, setting a scale benchmark that the rest of the market does not come close to matching. Publicis remains the second-largest player with an estimated 10% to 15% share.
The combined Omnicom–IPG organization has moved into a firmer third position in the same 10% to 15% band, giving it a more competitive footing against Publicis than before. The CCI notes that the two networks were not strong head-to-head rivals earlier and still remain significantly smaller than WPP, but the integration strengthens Omnicom’s ability to operate closer to the second tier.
Madison and Dentsu continue to sit in the mid-tier with 5% to 10% shares, while Havas remains below 5%.
Overall, the regulator concludes that the merger enhances Omnicom’s competitiveness without reshaping the structure of the market, which remains anchored by one dominant leader and a relatively narrow set of scaled networks. The key shift is that Omnicom is now better placed to compete with Publicis for larger mandates, even as the broader hierarchy stays largely unchanged.
